This Ice Road Truckers Star Once Drove 2,200 Miles In One Sitting

Back when it first aired on History Channel, not many people would have predicted that "Ice Road Truckers" would have become the success we know it as today. With 138 episodes and a dedicated fanbase, the show cemented itself as a staple of reality television. Throughout its lengthy run of 11 seasons, "Ice Road Truckers" saw its fair share of quirky personalities and wild characters, which is perhaps what made audiences loyally tune in every week for so many years.

Driving trucks on roads built on ice is one of the most dangerous professions in the world, so it should come as no surprise that it attracts only the most fearless, hardened individuals. These people live and breathe ice road trucking, and it shows in every single episode. Their drives across some of Earth's most treacherous terrains have made for quite a few unforgettable moments, and many of their achievements remain difficult to wrap one's head around to this day.

Darell Ward made his "Ice Road Truckers" debut in Season 6 in 2012. He was already an experienced trucker before joining the show with 30 years on the road, but most of his driving was done in much friendlier environments than the treacherous ice roads of Alaska. Given his experience, though, he seemed unfazed about the new challenge. As he was introduced to the show in his very first appearance, he proudly boasted about his longest-ever haul: 2,200 miles in one sitting. 

Ward recalled his longest-ever journey in the introductory segment: "I drove straight down to Marysville, Kansas, turned around, and drove straight back to Montana." Making a round-trip of that length in one sitting is a superhuman achievement, one that definitely qualified him for the job of an ice road trucker despite not having much experience in that department prior to joining the series. Unsurprisingly, he developed a knack for the thrill of driving on icy roads and even started his own hauling company called Polar Industry along with co-star Lisa Kelly, another fan favorite. 

Sadly, in 2016 Darell Ward died in a plane crash near Missoula, Montana (via Deadline). He was piloting the single-engine aircraft with a co-pilot, who was also killed in the crash. In a case of tragic irony, Deadline reported he was on his way to filming the first episode of another documentary show about plane wreck recoveries.